My dad left me his computer collection and I don't know where to start

[T.A.P.]

...And just like that, I get called into work. I hate my job.

[kenames99]

On 8/21/2021 at 5:31 PM, Sugarland said:

When you have time, please register your 1200XL serial numbers in the 1200XL Owner's Club serial tracker thread.

 

Is this your dad's storage room?

 

 

my word! where is this place at? would love to visit there.

 

Ken

 

[+x=usr(1536)]

15 minutes ago, kenames99 said:

my word! where is this place at? would love to visit there.

 

Ken

 

I believe it's Computer Reset in Dallas, Texas.  Not sure if they're still in business or not; they began reorganising and liquidating inventory a couple of years ago.

 

 

[T.A.P.]

14 minutes ago, x=usr(1536) said:

I believe it's Computer Reset in Dallas, Texas.  Not sure if they're still in business or not; they began reorganising and liquidating inventory a couple of years ago.

 

 

I've been seeing a few videos on youtube recently where people say it closed, but some volunteers are still going through stuff?

 

Makes me wish I was close enough to check it out. There's plenty of old junk I would love to have.

[T.A.P.]

After putting this project on hiatus for a year, I've started getting back to it.

 

I have a giant pile of floppy disks and tape software that I'm going to list out / take pictures of.

 

I don't know if any of it still works, and I don't really want to keep any of that stuff. Is there anyone on here that would have an interest in buying / archiving this stuff if there is anything here that hasn't been shared already?

[gilsaluki]

4 minutes ago, T.A.P. said:

After putting this project on hiatus for a year, I've started getting back to it.

 

I have a giant pile of floppy disks and tape software that I'm going to list out / take pictures of.

 

I don't know if any of it still works, and I don't really want to keep any of that stuff. Is there anyone on here that would have an interest in buying / archiving this stuff if there is anything here that hasn't been shared already?

Put it, there will be takers.  Some still like physical copies, while a lot of folks have gone to emulation and/or Fujinet-type devices (which makes a lot of sense in this digit age).

[T.A.P.]

Here's the contents of the smaller of the two floppy disk boxes he left me:

Disks with hand-written labels
April 28, 1993 - bunch of games
Backup Copy Dos 3.0
Baseball / Realm of Imp
Computes First Book of Atari
Disk with my name written on it, probably by me
Epidemic Dupilcator Version
Fort Apocalypse Duplicator Version
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Side 1 Dupilcator Version
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Side 2 Black Patch  Version
Infiltrator (A+B)
Ladds Assembler Boot
Mastertype Duplicator Version
May, 1993 Koala Pictures - Smart DOS formatted
misc  games
misc 4 games
misc 5 games
misc 5 games
misc 5 games
misc 6 games
misc 6 games
misc 8 games
Ogre (A+B)
Password
Pitfall / Demon Attack Dupilcator Version
Spartados 1.1
Tail of Beta Lyrae Duplicator Version
XDSDD
XDSDD
Zappon / Preppie 2 / Speedway
Zybek (Requires XE) Duplicator Version
Zybex

 

Disks with printed labels
Activision Hacker
Antic The Best of Antic
Antic Vol. 8 No. 9 Tournament Checkers
APX Air Raid 1.1
APX Printer Driver Construct
Atari Classics April & June Disk
Atari Classics Vol 1. No. 1 & Vol. 2 No 1. (02/1993)
Atari Classics Vol. 2 No 4 & Vol. 2 No 5 (10/1993) x2
Atari Family Finances 1
Atari Family Finances 2
Atari Stock Analysis
Atari The Atari CX85 Numerical Keypad Handler Master Program Diskette
Atari The Bookkeeper Data Base Diskette
Atari The Bookkeeper Data Entry Diskette
Atari The Bookkeeper Reporting Diskette
Atari The Bookkeeper Sample Data Base Diskette (Benson)
Atari The Home Filing Manager Program
Atari Timewise Master Diskette
Atari XE Term
ATI BASIC (Blue)
ATI BASIC (Red)
B & C Computer Visions Utility Disk 2 (5/23/1991)
B&C Computer Visions Inside Atari Basic 7-17-1991
B&C Computervisions Utility Disk 1 Gold Card (02/07/1991)
Broderbund - Lode Runner
Electronic Arts Worms?
Epyx - Koronis Rift
Epyx - Rescue on fractalus
Master Type The Typing Instruction Game
Mastertronic - LA Swat / Panther
Mastertronic Video Poker and Vega Jackpot
Microprose Solo Flight
Paradise Programming Tail of Beta Lyrae
PR Connection ICD x2
Solid Gold Software - Pitfall / Demon Attack
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Witness

 

Plus 16 unlabeled disks and 3 things that are apparently disk cleaners.
 

Edited February 1, 2023 by T.A.P.

[T.A.P.]

I'll try to post the other one later today, it's just a lot of stuff to type out. Anything there of interest to anyone, or is that all stuff that's already floating around (besides the ones that are obviously personal stuff)?

Edited February 1, 2023 by T.A.P.

[Beeblebrox]

On 8/20/2021 at 8:04 PM, T.A.P. said:

Thanks for all the responses so far!

 

I know that certain machines have trouble running or doing certain things, but out of curiosity, is there one model that people consider the best among the Atari 8 Bit machines?

 

I pretty much would just be keeping something to play cartridge games, or possibly games booted from some kind of flash device, if something like that exists for floppy disk games.

I'd probably keep the 130xe if so as ram is 128k. But ideally keep that and the 800xl. Tbh as said above it's a can of worms.

[+Allan]

Can you take a picture of the following @T.A.P. disks?

 

ATI BASIC (Blue)
ATI BASIC (Red)

Paradise Programming Tail of Beta Lyrae

[T.A.P.]

11 minutes ago, Allan said:

Can you take a picture of the following @T.A.P. disks?

 

ATI BASIC (Blue)
ATI BASIC (Red)

Paradise Programming Tail of Beta Lyrae

 

[_The Doctor__]

Same as any I've had or seen, for all three, Colored jackets for ATI and Datamost for Tail

Edited February 1, 2023 by _The Doctor__

[T.A.P.]

Here's the contents of the other disk box:

 

Games with hand-written labels
55 Programs
850 Express
Aardy The Aardvark (Duplicator Version)
Adventure & other games
ALL Basic / Diamond OS
Alternate Reality - The City
Alternate Reality - The City 2
Alternate Reality - The City x2
APE 116D Autoexec / SpartaDOS 3.2g
Astro-Grover (Duplicator Version)
Atari Proofreader Dictionary Disk
Atari Writer (Black Patch Version)
Atari Writer 80
Atari Writer 80 Program Disk 800/XL/XE Version
Atari Writer Program Disk 130 XE version
Auto Disk for MAC-65 etc
Basic Utilities
Big Bird's Special Delivery (Duplicator Version)
Bobterm
Boulderdash & other games
Bullfighter (Duplicator Version)
Career
Chessmaster 2000
Chessmaster 2000
Chipmunk Copy Utilities x2
Chipmunk Disk 1 Boot w/ Basic x2
Colten's towers (Duplicator Version)
Common Utilities
Crypts of Terror (Duplicator Version)
DOS 2.0
DOS XE Master Disk
Duplitech's High Speed Handler / High Speed Copier
Editing Class
Epidemic
Epidemic (Black Patch Version)
Ernie's Magic Skates (Duplicator Version)
Games SP DOS
Gauntlet
Gauntlet
Hardball
High Rise
Illuminata
Infiltrator
Juggler's House (Duplicator Version)
Last Starfighter & other games
Machine Language for Beginners
Machine Language Learner
Master Diskette 2.5
Master Diskette 4.0
Modem Chess
Movier Maker / Pics
MPP & other programs
MY DOS 4.53 / APE WARP
My First Alphabet (Black Patch Version)
Night Raiders (Black Patch Version)
Ninja (Duplicator Version)
Numerical Keypad Handler
Oasis r BBS Disk 3 Back-up
Ogre
Paperclip Master Dup
PD Micropaint Artist
Pitstop (Duplicator Version)
Prisoner II
Realm of Impossibility (Duplicator Version)
Roundabout (Duplicator Version)
SIO2PC 3.11
Slow Mode Booter For Duplicator
Smart DOS & other stuff
Sparta DOS
SpartaDOS 3.2g (6/4/1994)
Speedking (Duplicator Version)
SSI's Chickamauga
Star League Baseball / Realm of Imp
Starbase Fighter (Duplicator Version)
Super Arc / UnArc
Super Pill Utilities / Super Pill Menu
Text
Text Disk DOS 4.0
The Book Keeper 1
The Book Keeper 2
The Cosmic Tunnels (Duplicator Version)
Tricky Tutorials x5
Utilities #6
Utilities German DOS
Utility Disk II
Utility Disk III
Washtenaw Atari Users Group Tech Docs & MY DOS 4.5
Washtenaw Atari Users Group various programs
X DSDD
Zybex / Fort Apocalypse

 

Games with printed lables
Alpha Systems Presents COS
Antic DOS 4.0 (PD)
Atari DOS 2.5
Atari DOS XE Master Diskette
Atari Macro Assembler
Atari Master Diskette 3
Atari Master Diskette 3 (Purple Lettering) x2
Atari Microsoft Basic II
Atari Proofreader Dictionary Disk
Atari Writer 80 Program 130 XE version
Atari XEP 80 Bootdisk
Atari XL Translator Disk
Black Patch Data Disks 1 & 2 x2
Coleco War Games
Duplicating Technologies Inc The Duplicator 1050 Rev 3 x2
Duplicating Technologies Inc The Duplicator 1050 x2
Duplicating Technologies Pirates Treasure Chest
Sparta DOS (Burgundy, 1986)
Sparta DOS (Gray, 1986)
Sparta DOS Tool Kit
The Black Patch Master Disk 1.1 x3
The Diskcracker! 1.1 x2
The Pill!
 

[T.A.P.]

Here's the list of Tape software, all of it has professional labels.

 

Tape
An Invitation to programming
Biorhythm - 16k version
Datasoft Inc Canyon Climber
Hayden Microcomputer Gameware - Reversal
Introduction to Graphics
Introduction To Sound
Pilot Programs for Children
Pilot Turtle Graphics
Thorn EMI - Dominoes
Thorn EMI - Owari
Thorn EMI - Reversi
Touch Typig Beginning Typing
Touch Typing Practice Text
Writing Programs 1
Writing Programs 2
 

[www.atarimania.com]

I noticed some interesting disks in the copies:

55 Programs

Bullfighter

Editing Class

[T.A.P.]

15 minutes ago, www.atarimania.com said:

I noticed some interesting disks in the copies:

55 Programs

Bullfighter

Editing Class

My dad was a college professor, so "Editing Class" may just be documents from a class my dad taught. Especially since it is just a handwritten label.

Edited February 2, 2023 by T.A.P.

[_The Doctor__]

I'll image all of it. It'll be segregated so personal stuff documents won't be an issue.

[T.A.P.]

Ok, I've started sorting through all the PSUs and I have a few questions:

 

What devices would have come with a CO17495 power supply?

 

Did the Atari 400 or 800 come with those?

 

I've found 5 of those CO17495 units, but it looks like I have at least 8 devices that those are used with, assuming all of these originally came with one:

An Atari 400

2 Atari 800s

2 Atari 1050 Drives

3 Atari XF551 Drives

 

Did any other computers or accessories use the CO17495?

 

Am I mistaken about what uses that PSU?

[_The Doctor__]

Atari 400 and 800 Atari normally use CA014748 or equivalent (including the Atari CA017964). I always use the latter for 800's highly modded 400/s and 810's

[T.A.P.]

21 minutes ago, _The Doctor__ said:

Atari 400 and 800 Atari normally use CA014748 or equivalent (including the Atari CA017964). I always use the latter for 800's highly modded 400/s and 810's

Thanks for the info! I'll see what PSUs I have lying around and try to match / pair things up.

[Vyvyan B.]

CA017964 & C017495 are one and the same, no?

[_The Doctor__]

slightly different look feel finish as well as barrel connector plastics, I think old ones are screwed instead of glued etc. some other differences. I keep them with what they belonged with rather than what they work with, avoids issues. I'd have to dig all the variants out and do a run down if I were going to be fixated however I am pretty sure it's been done before.

[T.A.P.]

I have Sunday off, so I will try to sort and categorize everything I have then.

I think I may have a little more stuff in storage, so I will try to dig everything out there too.

I'll post pictures of everything once I have it all sorted.

 

On a semi-related subject, are there any cool modern devices that make use of the SIO cable?

[+SoulBuster]

SIO's designer, Joe Decuir, credits his work on the system as the basis of USB.

[T.A.P.]

I talked to my dad today. He says he backed up all of his old Atari Floppy disks to an external hard drive.

 

I'm going to get the files from him, and after going through them to remove anything that is just personal data, I'll share the files on here.